Apparatus for coiling strip materials and the like



' March 2, 1943. E. T..L ORlG 2,312,423

APPARATUS FOR COILING STRIP MATERIALS AND THE LiKE Filed D80. 17, 1940liwenz'ar:

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Why/away,

Patented Mar. 2, 1943 APPARATUS FOR COILING STRIP MATERIALS AND THE LIKEEdwin T. Lorig, Dormont, Pa.

Application December 17, 1940, Serial No. 370,556

Claims.

applicants copending application Serial No.

217,064, filed July 1, 1938, now abandoned.

While many coiling devices and apparatus have been suggested and usedfor coiling strip metal, most of these have been expensive and.difllcult to use and were unsatisfactory for various other reasons. wellknown to those skilled in the art, to utilize coi ing devices comprisinga series of circularly arranged rollers which are adapted to provide asubstantially circular cage between which the strip is delivered andcoiled in a centerless manner, that is, without any central supportingreel. The rollers in such an arrangement expand laterally from theirclosed portions and away from each other and hold the outer convolutionsof the coil against the preceding convolutions as the coil expands andincreases in diameter. Usually the amount or degree of lateral expansionof these rollers one to the other is controlled by means of a leveragesystem interconnecting the rollers. Heretofore the rate and degree ofmovement of the master lever arm together with the rollers has beencontrolled generally by means of cams or spring loaded arrangements, orother mechanical arrangements which were not satisfactory.

If a cam arrangement were used, the rollers contacting the outerconvolution of the strip expanded at a predetermined rate irrespectiveof how rapidly or slowly the coil increased in diameter, which in mostcases resulted either in a loose coiling of the strip or an extremelytight coiling of the same which respectively in turn caused slippage ofthe loose convolutions relative to the tightly coiled convolutions. Suchslippage resulted usually in scratching the surfaces of the strip or thegouging of the rollers into the outer surface of the convolutions whichin some instances would be bullding up faster than the rollers aremoving outwardly. It has been found that a coil weighing approximately7000 pounds was the heaviest coil that such cam controlled apparatuswould carry before the above defects became exaggerated to the extentthat they could not be tolerated.

If the rate and degree of movement of the master lever arm together withthe rollerswere controlled by a spring loaded arrangement, it was foundthat the same could not control coils whose total weight exceededapproximately 5000 It has therefore been proposed, as is pounds. It'hasbeen found by the use of eccentric cams or springs that neither theweight nor the width of the coil can be taken into consideration intheir design, and this is absolutely necessary in order. to provide asuccessful coiling device or apparatus for all coiling purposes of stripmetal. A reeling or coiling device should be designed so that it isflexible in order to handle various weights and be able to coil stripmetal of difierent widths into any reasonable coil diameter.

It should be appreciated that the width or size of strip being coiledmay change every few coils or even from coil to coil, and so if the gageof the strip is changed, likewise the ultimate diameter of the coil willbe changed. Therefore, it

will be seen that it is desirable to have a coiling device or apparatuswhich can be used for any size material or coil, and it is to such animproved apparatus that the present invention relates, and particularlyto an improved means for controlling the same.

Accordingly it is one of the objects of the present invention to providean improved apparatus for coiling strip material which can be used forcoiling various widths or sizes of strip material,

and apparatus which can control and successfully handle light weightcoils as well as relatively heavy coils.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved apparatusfor coiling continuous strip material which is simple and inexpensive inits construction and use and at the same time one which efllciently andtightly coils the strip so as to prevent slippage of the successivecoils relative to each other.

It is a further object of thi invention to provide an improved method ofand apparatus for coiling continuous strip material wherein the lateraltravel and/or expansion of the rolls forming the coiling unit increasesdirectly in proportion to the increase in the weight of the coiledmaterial so that the pressure of the rolls against the successiveconvolutions of the strip being coiled increases as the weight and sizeof the coil increase.

Various other objects and advantages of this invention will become moreapparent in the course of the following specification and will beparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing there is shown for the purpose ofillustration one embodiment thereof which my invention may assume inpractice.

position showing incorporated therewith the improved means of myinvention, partly in section for actuating and controlling the same.

In the drawing, S represents the end of a strip of material beingdelivered to the coiler which is indicated in its entirety by thenumeral 2, and C represents the coiled strip therein. The coiler is ofefiwell known conventional type, and will be only briefly described. Thecoiler consists of a frame 3 having a pair of rotatable pinch rolls 4arranged at the entrance end thereof which are adapted to guide thestrip material into the coiling mechanism. At a spaced distancerearwardly of the pinch rolls 4 there is arranged on the frame a pair ofstationary rotatable guide rolls 5. There is mounted in a circulararrangement a plurality of lever-like arms 6, each of which is pivotallymounted intermediate the ends thereof on shafts carried by the frame.There is cariried by each of the arms 6 adjacent the inner end thereof arotatable roller 8, and beyond the roller 8 at the extreme end of eachof the arms there is arranged a stripper plate 9 which is adapted tocooperate with their respective rollers 8. The outer ends of the arms 6are successively interconnected by means of a plurality of levers orlink members [0, with one lever arranged between each of the arms. Thelevers iii are pivotally connected to their respective arms 6 by meansof pivotal connections 12, and are adapted to move the arms 6 togetherwith the rollers 8 and stripper plates 9 carried thereby in unison.

That is to say, the four rollers 8 shown in the present instance have asimultaneous, synchronous, substantially radial inward or outwardmovement due to the arms 6 being interconnected by the levers Ill. Itwill be seen that the topmost arm 6 does not carry a roller 8 as do theother arms, and the stripper plate 9 carried thereby is adapted to bedisposed immediately rearwardly of the guideroll 5 with which it isadapted to cooperate. It will also be seen that the lever I0interconnecting the topmost arm 8 with the next succeeding arm connectsthe inner ends of the arms rather than the outer ends thereof.

It will begunderstood that the arms 6 together with the rollers 8 andstripper plates 3 carried thereby, are adapted to be moved by means ofthe master lever arm l3 through the action of the interconnecting linksl0 so that the rollers 6 in cooperation with the stripper plates 3 formsa substantially completely closed circular opening into which the stripmaterial enters for coiling when the rollers are in their closedposition, as shown in the broken lines of the drawing.

The stripper plates 9 prevent the strip S from passing between therollers 8 and force the same to assume the shape of a circle or coil,and it will be seen that the arms 6 together with the rollers 6 carriedthereby are arranged so that the opening between the rollers ismaintained substantially circular when the rollers are in any position.

According to the present invention, there is arranged at the bottom ofthe coiler a master lever arm it having one end thereof pivotallyconnected at M to the bottommost arm 6 with the opposite end thereofpivotally connected at I6 to a downwardly extending lever i6 carried bya shaft l'l.

There is arranged adjacent the opposite end of the master lever arm l8below the coiler, a pneumatic fluid cylinder it! which is preferablycontrolled by means of compressed air. There is positioned within thecylinder a piston I8 on the outer end of a piston rod 20, with the innerend thereof securely connected to a slide block 2| which is slidablyarranged in suitable guideways carried by a casing 22, securely arrangedin a suitable manner on the inner end of the pneumatic cylinder l8.There is pivotally connected to the slide block 2! at 23 a connectingrod 24 having the inner end thereof pivotally connected at 25 to themaster lever arm I3 at a point directly below the pivotal connection I4of the master lever arm with the bottommost arm 6.

There is connected at 26 to a port 21 arranged in the outer end of thecylinder l8 a fluid supply line. or pipe connection 28 whichinterconnects the cylinder preferably with a two-position fourwaycontrol valve 29 at 30. A port 3| arranged in'the opposite or inner endof the cylinder I! is connected at 32 by means of a fluid supply line orpipe connection 33 which interconnects that end of the cylinder alsowith the four-way valve 29 at 34.

The four-way valve 28 is connected at 35 on the opposite side thereof toa relatively high pressure fluid expansion tank 36 by means of a pipeconnection 31 having a check valve 3!! arranged therein, and isconnected at 39 to a relatlvely low pressure fluid expansion tank 40 bymeans of a pipe connection 4| also having a check valve 42 arrangedtherein. There is provided a high pressure fluid line 43 Home suitablesource of supply (not shown) which is connected to the high pressurefluid expansion tank 36 by means of a pipe connection 44 having a checkvalve 45 arranged therein. The high pressure line 43 is also connectedto the low pressure fluid expansion tank 40 by means of a pipeconnectirn 46 and there is arranged therein a suitable pressureregulating valve 41 and a check valve 48.

There is arranged in the fluid supply line 24 another four-way valve 49which is connected to a pipe connection 50 at 5!, interconnecting thesame with the lower side of the line 28. The opposite side of thefour-way valve 49 is connected at 52 to a pipe connection 53 whichinterconnects the same preferably withthe line 21 at a point immediatelybeyond its connection 35 with the four-way valve 23.

The construction of the present invention having thus been described,the operation of the same is as follows:

The present apparatus has been designed to be operated by means ofcompressed air but it will be understood that any other suitable fluidunder pressure may be used in lieu thereof. The compressed air ispreferably under pressure of from to pounds per square inch-and issupplied to the piping system through the high pressure line 43. Thepressure regulating valve 41 in the line 46 is set so as to obtain theproper relatively low pressure in line 46, the lowpressure expansiontank 40, and the connection 4] in order to obtain proper pressure backof the piston IS in the pneumatic cylinder l8 for a purpose and in amanner to be hereinafter described. It is the purpose of the lowpressure air to support or hold the rollers 8 of the coiler in theirclosed position, as shown in the broken lines of the drawing. Thispreset low pressure may vary from approximately 8 to 30 pounds and isdetermined by the gage and width of the strip and the weight of the coilto be coiled with the lower pressure being used for narrow stripmaopening ,the rollers terial and the higher pressure for relativelywide strip.

When it is desired to coil any particular strip, the rollers areinitially in their closed position and maintained in such positions byadmitting low pressure air to the outer end of the cylinder is above thepiston i9 therein through the valve 49, the connections 28 and the port21 which is controlled by the four-way valve 29. It will be understoodthat the pressure in back of the piston I9 need be only of suflicientintensity to hold the rollers 8 in their closed position so as tominimize the pressure of the rollers against the initial convolutions ofthe coil being formed. This is necessary so as to prevent the initialconvolutions of the coil from sliding relative to each other and causingdetrimental and objectional scratches and abrasion marks on the strip.As the strip is continuously fed into the coiler. the coil builds upbetween the rollers 8 and the coil itself forces the rollers outwardlyfrom their closed position shown in the broken lines of the drawing,substantially to the position shown in the full lines of the drawing.Thus, it will be seen as the rollers 6 are moved outwardly as the 4 sizeand Weight of the coil increase the diameter,

all of the arms are moved simultaneously through the action of theinterconnecting levers or links H), thereby moving the master lever arml3 to gether with the connecting rod 24 and the piston i9 against theaction of the low pressure air above the piston. As a result the lowpressure air entrained in the cylinder will be forced into the lines 28and 4| into the expansion tank 40, thereby compressing the air and anincreased pressure will be gradually built up in the expansion tank andin the line back of the piston it. Thus, it will be seen that thepressure of the rollers against the successive convolutions of the coilincreases due to the fact that the pressure is being increased above thepiston i9.

After the coil C has been completely formed, the four-way control valve29 is manipulated so that the pressure in lines 28 and 4i are exhaustedto the atmosphere through the connection 29" and which simultaneouslyadmits high pressure air from the high pressure tank 36 into thecylinder i8 through the connection 33 and the port 8! to the lower sideof the piston l5. This high pressure air moves the piston I! to theleft, thus 8 to their fully open position so that the coil C may beremoved from therebetween.

After the coiled strip has been removed from between the rollers 8, thefour-way valve 29 is again manipulated so as pressure air from below thepiston is in the cylinder and in the connection 33 to the atmospherethrough the exhaust outlet 28. The low pressure air is simultaneouslyadmitted again to the opposite end of the cylinder it through the line28 and the port 26 above the-piston therein.

When extremely narrow strip is being coiled;

relatively low air pressures must necessarily be used in the pressuretank 40, which results in a sluggish action in the closing of therollers for the start of the next coiling operation. In order to obtaina more rapid movement of the rollers 8 to their closed position undersuch operating conditions. high pressure air may be admitted to thecylinder 18 above the piston l9 therein through the connection 50 whichis connected to the line 28, by manipulation of the four-way valve 49.The high pressure air is then admitted to the cylinder from the highpressure to exhaust the high.

tank 36 through the lines 31, 53, 5|! and 28. The valve 49 preferablyfloats on the low pressure air line 28 and is normally opened to the lowpres sure air from the main operating valve 28 and normally closed tothe line 53 and to the high pressure air from the supply pressure tank36. It will be understood that when the valve 49 is manipulated, theline 28 is closed to the low air pressure and simultaneously opened tothe high air pressure from line 53. When the operating handle of thevalve 49 is released, the valve 49 automatically returns to its normalor floating status in the line 28 with the connection to the lowpressure air and the connection to the high pressure air, opened andclosed respectively which again equalizes the low pressure air in thelow pressure tank 40 and in the cylinder i8 above the piston l9 thereinand the rollers 8 are then in position for the next coiling operation.

As a result of. my invention, it will be seen that the pneumaticcylinder 18 through the action of the controlling means therefor isadapted to maintain the rollers 8 against the outer convolutions of thestrip material continuously throughout the coiling thereof and as thearms 8, together with the rollers 8 carried thereby, are moved graduallyoutwardly as the size of the coil increases in diameter and weight, thelow pressure air in the cylinder i8 is compressed thereby resulting inthe pressure of th rollers against the successive convolutions of thecoils increasing directly as the weight and size of the coil increase,whereby any slppage of the successive convolutions relative to eachother is entirely eliminated. That is to say, the initial air pressurewithin the cylinder l8 (sufficient to hold the rollers in their closedposition) having been established, therefore increases as it volumedecreases, which increase in pressure is substantially proportional tothe increased diameter and weight of the coil being formed. Thus, it canreadily be seen that any coil, irrespective of size or weight, isconvoluted with uniform tightness between each and every convolution ofthe coil, thus preventing any slippage of the convolutions relativetoeach other, and particularly the initial convolutions of the coil.

While I hav shown and described one specific embodiment of my invention,it will be understood that this embodiment is merely for the purpose ofillustration and description and that various other forms may be devisedwithin the scope or my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for coiling continuous strip rnaterial, a plurality ofpivotally mounted arms circularly arranged, a roller arranged on theinner end of each of said arms for contacting and guid ing the stripmaterial as it enters therebetween, a link member arranged between andinterconnecting each of said arms, a fluid pressure cylinder for movingsaid link members together with said arms and the rollers carriedthereby so that said rollers are arranged in one position tocooperatively form a substantially closed circular opening into whlchthe strip material enters for coiling the same, a relatively highpressure fluid line connected to one end of said cylinder for supplyinga high pressure fluid to that end of said cylinder for rapidly movingsaid arms together with the roller carried thereby to their fully openposition so as to permit removal of the coil after the coiling of thestrip has been completed, a relatively low pressure fluid line connectedto and arranged between said high pressure fluid line and the oppositeend of said cylinder for supplying a relatively low fluid pressurethereinto, a valve arranged between said high pressure and low pressurefluid lines for regulating the fluid pressure in said low pressure fluidline, means for determining the pressure in said low pressure fluidline, a check valve arranged in said low. pressure line, another valvearranged in said low pressure line below said check valve, saidlast-mentioned valve adapted to be arranged in one position so as to beopen to the atmosphere whereby the fluid pressure in the cylinder can beexhausted therefrom to the atmosphere, said fluid pressure cylinderadapted to maintain said rollers against the outer convolutions of thestrip material continuously throughout the coiling thereof whereby thearms together with the rollers carried thereby are moved graduallyoutwardly as the size of the coil increases in diameter therebycompressing the low pressure fluid in said cylinder whereby thepressure, of said rollers against the successive convolution increasesas the weight and size of the coil increase so as to prevent slippage ofthe successive convolutions relative to each other. e

2. In apparatus for coiling continuous strip material, a plurality ofpivotally mounted arms cir'- cularly arranged, a roller arranged on theinner end of each of said arms for contacting and guiding the stripmaterial as it enters therebetween, a link member arranged between andinterconnecting each of said arms, a fluid pressure cylinder for movingsaid link members together with said arms and the rollers carriedthereby so that said rollers are arranged in one position tocooperatively form a substantially closed circular opening into whichthe strip material enters for coiling the same, a relatively highpressure fluid line connected to one end of said cylinder for supplyinga high pressure fluid to that end of said cylinder for rapidly movingsaid arms together with the rollers carried thereby to their fully openposition so as to permit removal of the coil after the coiling of thestrip has been completed, a relatively low pressure fluid line connectedto said high pressure fluid line, a valve arranged between said highpressure and low pressure fluid lines for regulating the fluid pressurein said low pressure fluid line, means for determining the pressure insaid low pressure fluid line, a four-way valve arranged in said lowpressure fluid line, said four-way valve adapted to be arranged in oneposition so as to be open to the atmosphere whereby the fluid in thecylinder can be exhausted therefrom to the atmosphere, and meansconnecting said four-way valve with the opposite end of said fluidpressure cylinder whereby the low pressure fluid is adapted to passthrough said four-way valve when the same is in one position into saidcylinder so as to maintain the arms together with the rollers carriedthereby in their closed positions, 'said fluid pressure cylinder adaptedto maintain said rollers against the outer convolutions of the stripmaterial continuously throughout the coiling thereof whereby the armstogether with the rollers carried thereby are moved gradually outwardlyas the size of the coil increases in diameter thereby compressing thelow pressure fluid in said cylinder whereby the pressure of said rollersagainst the successive convolutions increases as the weight and size andof the coil increase so as to prevent slippage of the successiveconvolutions relative to each other.

material, a plurality of pivotally mounted arms circularly arranged, aroller arranged on the inner end of each of said arms for contacting andguiding the strip material as it enters therebetween, a link memberarranged between and interconnecting each of said arms, a fluid pressurecylinder for moving said link members together with said arm and therollers carried thereby so that said rollers are arranged in oneposition to cooperatively form a substantially closed circular openinginto which the strip material enters for coiling the same, means forsupplying a relatively high pressure fluid into one end of said cylinderfor rapidly moving the arms together with the rollers carried thereby totheir fully closed positions, means for releasing the high pressurefluid in that end of said cylinder after the arms have been moved totheir closed positions, means for supplying a relatively low pressurefluid to the same end 01' said cylinder for. maintaining said armstogether with the rollers carried thereby in their closed positionsafter the high fluid pressure has been released therefrom, said fluidpressure cylinder adapted to maintain said rollers against the outerconvolutions of the strip material continuously throughout the coilingthereof whereby the arms together with the rollers carried thereby aregradually .moved outwardly as the size of the coil increases in diameterthereby compressing the low pressure fluid in said cylinder so as toincrease the pressure therein, whereby the pressure of said rollersagainst the successive convolutions-increases as the weight and size ofthe coil increase so as to prevent slippage of the convolutions relativeto each other, and means for supplying a relatively high pressure fluidinto the opposite end of said cylinder for rapidly moving said armstogether with the rollers carried thereby to their fully open positionsso as to permit removal of the coiled strip.

4. In apparatus for coilin continuous strip material, a plurality ofpivotally mounted arms circularly arranged, a roller arranged on theinner end oil each of said arms for contacting and guiding the stripmaterial as it enters therebetween, a link member arranged between andinterconnecting each of said arms, a fluid pressure cylinder for movingsaid link members together with said arms and the rollers carriedthereby so that said rollers are arranged in one position tocooperatively form a substantially closed circular opening into whichthe strip material enters for coiling the same, a relatively highpressure fluid supply line, a relatively low pressure fluid supply lineconnected to said high pressure fluid line, a valve arranged betweensaid high pressure and low pressure fluid lines for the arms togetherwith the rollers carried thereby to their fully open positions, a valveconnected to both said high pressure and low pressure fluid supplylines, means connecting said valve to the opposite end or said cylinderfor introducing low pressure fluid thereto, said low pressure fluidadapted to pass through said valve into the cylinder when the valve isin one position so as to maintain the arms together with the rollerscarried thereby in their closed positions, said valve adapted in anotherposition so as to be open to the atmosphere whereby the fluid in thecylinderis adapted to be exhausted to the atmosphere and in stillanother position so as to permit the high pressure fluid to pass throughsaid connecting means into that end or said cylinder whereby the armstogether with the rollers carried thereby can be rapidl moved to theirfully closed positions, said fluid pressure cylinder adapted to maintainsaid rollers against the outer convolutions of the strip materialcontinuously throughout the coiling thereof whereby the arms togetherwith the rollers carried thereby are moved gradually outwardly as thesize of the coil increases in diameter thereby compressing the lowpressure fluid in said cylinder whereby the pressure of said rollersagainst the successive convolutions increases as the weight and size ofthe coil increase so as to prevent slippage of the successiveconvolutions relative to each other.

5. In apparatus for coiling continuous strip material, a plurality ofpivotally mounted arms circularly arranged, a roller arranged on theinner end of each of said arms for contacting and guiding the stripmaterial as it enters therebetween, a link member arranged between andinterconnecting each of said arms, a fluid pressure cylinder for movingsaid link members together with said arms and the rollers carriedthereby so that sad rollers are arranged in one sltion to formcooperatively a substantially closed circular opening into which thestrip material enters for coiling the same, a source of high pressurefluid, a fluid line connecting said source to one end of said fluidpressure cylinder, means arranged in said line between said source andsaid cylinder for reducing the fluid pressure in said line so that a lowpressure 'fluid may be supplied thereby to that end of said cylinder,said low fluid pressure in said cylinder adapted to maintain the saidarms together with the rollers carried thereby in their fully closedposition and against the outer convolutions of the strip material oi thecoil continuously throughout the coiling thereof so that the armstogether with the rollers carried thereby are moved-gradually outwardlyas the size of the coil increases in diameter thereby compressing thelow pressure fluid in that end of said cylinder so' as to increase thepressure therein whereby the'pressure of said rollers against thesuccessive convolutions of the coil increases as the weight and size orthe coil increases so as to prevent slippage of the successive convoiu--tions relative to each other, and a fluid line when introduced into thatend of said cylinder will rapidly move said arms together with therollers carried thereby to their fully open positions so as to permitremoval of the coil after the coiling of the-strip has been completed.

nbwm 'r. mare.

